Events

January events

* January 1 – The

Korean National Railroad The Korea Railroad Corporation ( Korean: 한국철도공사, Hanja: ), branded as KORAIL (코레일, officially changed to in November 2019), is the national railway operator in South Korea. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, manag ...

in South Korea is split into the Korea Railroad Corporation, branded as

Korail The Korea Railroad Corporation ( Korean: 한국철도공사, Hanja: ), branded as KORAIL (코레일, officially changed to in November 2019), is the national railway operator in South Korea. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, manag ...

, which will operate trains, and

Korea Rail Network Authority Korea National Railway is a railroad construction and management company in South Korea formed by the merger of KNR Construction Headquarters and Korean Express Railroad Construction Corporation. Its main clients are Korail The Korea ...

(KR), which maintains the tracks. * January 5 – The

metre-gauge Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, la ...

Brünig railway line The Brünig railway line (german: Brünigbahn) is a Swiss narrow gauge railway line that links Lucerne, in central Switzerland, with Interlaken, in the Bernese Oberland. The line runs via Alpnachstad, Giswil, Meiringen and Brienz, and passes ...

of the

Swiss Federal Railways Swiss Federal Railways (german: link=no, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, ''SBB''; french: link=no, Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses, ''CFF''; it, Ferrovie federali svizzere, ''FFS'') is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usuall ...

and the

Luzern–Stans–Engelberg railway line The Luzern–Stans–Engelberg railway line is a Swiss narrow gauge rack railway that connects Luzern, via Hergiswil and Stans, to the resort of Engelberg. The line was built by the Stansstad–Engelberg Railway (german: Stansstad-Engelberg-Ba ...

merge to form the

Zentralbahn The Zentralbahn is a Switzerland, Swiss railway company that owns and operates two connecting railway lines in Central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. It was created on January 1, 2005, with the acquisition of the independently owned Luze ...

. * January 12 –

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

announces that it has agreed to sell

Electro-Motive Diesel Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its s ...

to a consortium led by Greenbriar Equity Group and

Berkshire Partners Berkshire Partners is an American private equity firm based in Boston. It has invested in over 100 middle market companies since 1986 through nine investment funds with aggregate capital commitments of more than $16 billion. Berkshire has devel ...

.General Motors (January 12, 2005)
GM Agrees To Sell Electro-Motive Division
Retrieved January 12, 2005. * January 29 –

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

's third LRT Line,

Punggol LRT Line The Punggol LRT line is an automated guideway transit line in Singapore. The line, which initially opened on 29 January 2005, connects the residential districts and suburbs of Punggol to Punggol Town Centre, where it connects with the North E ...

, is opened.

February events

* February 25 – Bombardier is awarded a contract to build 361

passenger car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as t ...

s for a new Chinese rail line to

Lhasa Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China. The inner urban area of Lhasa ...

, Tibet; due to the destination's altitude the cars will include special UV-filtering glass and a unique

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

enriching system.Trains NewsWire (February 28, 2005),
Bombardier awarded Chinese passenger car contract
'. Retrieved March 10, 2005. * February 26 –

AVE Class 102 The Renfe Class 102 or S-102S-102 denotes 'Serie 102 de Renfe', the 1xx series is used for fixed passenger high speed electric trains (nicknamed "Pato" in Spanish, because of its nose that looks like the beak of a duck) is a high-speed train u ...

trains enter regular operation on the

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Zaragoza Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Province of Zaragoza, Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Ara ...

Lleida Lleida (, ; Spanish: Lérida ) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida. Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It is also the capital city of the Segrià comarca, a ...

line.

March events

* March 2 – Citing disputes in paid leave policies, around 200

BNSF BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

dispatchers walk off the job for nearly three hours, causing traffic delays over the entire system from Chicago to the Pacific coast.Trains NewsWire (March 3, 2005),
Dispatcher walkout snarls BNSF
'. Retrieved March 10, 2005. * March 14 –

Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

purchases 35 new Green Goat hybrid locomotives, becoming the first railroad to order this type of locomotive.Canadian Pacific Railway (March 14, 2005),
Canadian Pacific Railway to acquire first hybrid locomotives
'. Retrieved March 17, 2005.

April events

* April 1 ** – All former

BC Rail BC Rail is a railway in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Chartered as a private company in 1912 as the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE), it was acquired by the provincial government in 1918. In 1972 it was renamed to the British ...

systems and operations are fully integrated into those of the purchasing railroad,

Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN ...

. ** –

Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway Company is an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operates in 10 midwestern and southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Loui ...

completes its controlling interest purchase of TFM; Vicente Corta is named interim CEO of TFM.Kansas City Southern Industries (April 1, 2005),
Kansas City Southern Announces Closing of TFM Transaction; Naming of TFM Interim CEO
'. Retrieved May 26, 2005. * April 7 –

Railways Act 2005 The Railways Act 2005 (c 14) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning the regulatory structure for railways in the United Kingdom. Overview The bill was introduced and published on 25 November 2004 and received royal as ...

(UK) provides for abolition of

Strategic Rail Authority The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry. Its motto was 'Britain's railway, properly delivered'. I ...

. * April 13 – The transport ministry of

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

issues the first freight transport license to a private company, Bulgarian Railroad Company, to operate on the nation's rail network.Bulgarian News Network (April 13, 2005),
Bulgaria Licenses Private Railroad Carrier
''. Retrieved April 13, 2005. * April 28 –

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports * Swiss Internation ...

engineers blast through the last section of rock on the first bore of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel project under the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

.Trains NewsWire (April 29, 2005),
Swiss complete digging Alpine tunnel
'. Retrieved May 4, 2005. ''See also Swiss finish drilling world's longest overland tunnel''

May events

* May 3 – The

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

ian president

Mohammad Khatami Sayyid Mohammad Khatami ( fa, سید محمد خاتمی, ; born 14 October 1943) is an Iranian politician who served as the fifth president of Iran from 3 August 1997 to 3 August 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture from 1982 ...

leads the ceremony inaugurating passenger rail service between

Mashhad Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province and has a po ...

and Bafq, Iran.Payvand's Iran News (May 3, 2005),
Iranian President inaugurates Mashhad-Bafq railroad
'. Retrieved May 3, 2005. * May 26 –

Genesee & Wyoming Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) is an American short line railroad holding company, that owns or maintains an interest in 122 railroads in the United States, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom and formerly Australia. It operates ...

(G&W) announce that they have agreed to purchase the railroad operations of

Rail Management Corporation Durden Enterprises II Inc - Formally Rail Management Corporation (RMC), based in Panama City Beach, Florida, was a holding company of short line railroads in the southeastern United States. History On May 26, 2005, Genesee and Wyoming (G& ...

(RMC). G&W will pay US$243 million in cash and assume $1.7 million in company debt to gain control of 14 short line railroads from RMC across the southeastern United States, as of June 1, 2005. G&W already controls 24 other railroads in North America, South America and Australia.Trains NewsWire (May 26, 2005),
G&W to acquire Rail Management Corp. rail operations
'. Retrieved May 27, 2005.Genesee and Wyoming, Inc. (May 26, 2005),

''. Retrieved May 27, 2005.

June events

* June 1 –

Joseph H. Boardman Joseph Houston Boardman (December 23, 1948March 7, 2019) was an American transportation executive who served as President and CEO of Amtrak from 2008 to 2016. Boardman was the longest-serving Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transp ...

, former Commissioner of New York State Department of Transportation, begins his duties as Administrator for the United States

Federal Railroad Administration The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the FRA is to promulgate and enforce rail sa ...

(a division of the

United States Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...

).Federal Railroad Administration, US DOT (June 1, 2005),
Joseph H. Boardman Begins Role as New Administrator for Federal Railroad Administration With Focus on Rail Safety and Intercity Passenger Rail Reform
''. Retrieved June 6, 2005. * June 2 – Railroad workers across France go on strike to demand better wages and jobs. The strike, which began at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, is expected to last through 6:00 GMT Friday. Nearly 40% of all

TGV The TGV (french: Train à Grande Vitesse, "high-speed train"; previously french: TurboTrain à Grande Vitesse, label=none) is France's intercity high-speed rail service, operated by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 19 ...

schedules are dropped for the duration of the strike.Associated Press (June 2, 2005),
Railroad strike upsets train service around France, causing rush-hour havoc
'' (newsfromrussia.com). Retrieved June 2, 2005. * June 4 –

Lalu Prasad Lalu Prasad Yadav (born 11 June 1948) is an Indian politician and president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). He is a former Chief Minister of Bihar (1990-1997), a former Railway Minister of India (2004-2009), and a former Member of Parliame ...

, India's Railway Minister, presents his

Rs. Rupee is the common name for the currencies of India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, and of former currencies of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (as the Gulf rupee), British East Africa, B ...

532 billion (US$12 billion) budget for

Indian Railways Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tota ...

for 2005–06. The network of more than 9,000

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self p ...

s will not increase passenger fares, will add 46 new trains, increase frequencies on 10 others and plans to inaugurate new high speed train service between New Delhi and

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

and another between New Delhi and

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

.MoneyPlans.net (June 4, 2005),
World-class railroad service promised for India
''. Retrieved June 4, 2005. * June 22 – The entire network of the

shuts down due to a power failure in its

overhead wire An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as: * Overhead catenary * Overhead contact system (OCS) * Overhead equipm ...

system. The power failure is also affecting international transit through Switzerland as such intercity trains use the same system. Initial reports indicate that the power failure started with a voltage drop in

Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

(in the St. Gotthard region) that then spread to the entire system.SwissInfo (June 22, 2005),
Swiss train network shuts down
''. Retrieved June 22, 2005.''

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...

'' (June 22, 2005),
Swiss rail network grinds to halt
'. Retrieved June 22, 2005.

July events

* July 1 –

is expected to inaugurate two new ''

Shatabdi Express Shatabdi Express trains are a series of fast passenger trains operated by Indian Railways to connect important metro cities. Shatabdi Express are day-trains and mostly return to their origin station the same day. The trains were first introd ...

s, one between

and

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

and a new '' Jan-Shatabdi Express'' between

Madgaon Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river and is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district. It is Goa's second largest city by population aft ...

and

Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...

. * July 29 –

Iarnród Éireann Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and f ...

, the Irish state railway operator, ceases all container freight traffic on

the network The Network was an American six-piece new wave band. they released their debut album '' Money Money 2020'' on Adeline Records on September 30, 2003. After a 15-year hiatus, the band became active again in 2020, releasing a follow-up album tit ...

. Freight yards at

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...

and

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

will be closed.

August events

* August 4 –

Argentinian Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...

railroad workers across the country (except for the

subway Subway, Subways, The Subway, or The Subways may refer to: Transportation * Subway, a term for underground rapid transit rail systems * Subway (underpass), a type of walkway that passes underneath an obstacle * Subway (George Bush Intercontin ...

operators in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

) go on strike for 24 hours demanding higher wages. The strike comes after 100 days of failed negotiations between the railroads and the engine driver unions; if an agreement cannot be reached within a week, the unions have threatened a subsequent 36-hour strike. The railroad employees strike coincides with a 72-hour health care workers strike that is still occurring.Prensa Latina (August 4, 2005),
Argentinian Railroad Workers Join Health Sector in Strike
''. Retrieved August 4, 2005. * August 15 – All America Latina Logistica (ALL) of

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

announces that it has formed a partnership with Besco Engineering and Services Private Limited of India to build new

railroad car A railroad car, railcar (American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is a ...

s in Brazil. The new enterprise, to be named Santa Fe Vagoes SA, will be located in Brazil and 40% owned by ALL.Nicaretta, Romina, Bloomberg.com (August 16, 2005),
ALL, India's Besco Form Joint Venture to Build Railroad Wagons
'. Retrieved August 16, 2005. * August 24 – Chinese railroad workers in

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...

laid rails on the

Tanggula Mountain Pass The Tanggu La, Tangla Pass, or Tanggu Pass (; bo, གདང་ལ) is a wide mountain pass in Southwest China over in elevation, which utilized by both the Qinghai–Tibet Highway and Qinghai–Tibet Railway to cross the Tanggula Mountains. T ...

in Tibet at 5,072 m (16,640 ft) above sea level, surpassing the altitude of the highest

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

vian railway by 255 m (837 ft). This section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is now the highest railway in the world. The railway also includes the highest

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...

in the world at

, 5,068 m (16,627 ft) above sea level. The railway is expected to open later in 2005.Xinhua (August 24, 2005),
New height of world's railway born in Tibet
'. Retrieved August 24, 2005. * August 27 – The first section of the Asker Line, from

Asker Asker ( no, Asker), properly called Askerbygda in Norwegian, is a district and former municipality in Akershus, Norway. From 2020 it is part of the larger administrative municipality Asker, Viken (also known as Greater Asker) in Viken county, ...

Sandvika Sandvika () is the administrative centre of the municipality of Bærum in Norway. It was declared a city by the municipal council in Bærum on 4 June 2003. Sandvika is situated approximately west of Oslo. It is the main transportation hub fo ...

, is opened.

September events

* September 2 – In a letter to the governors of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

(headquartered in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...

) pledges a contribution of US$1 million, and offers rail transportation to aid in relief efforts for the areas affected by

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

. The monetary contribution would come from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation as a donation to the

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the des ...

relief efforts, while the transportation assistance is currently being organized by the

Association of American Railroads The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight Rail transport, railroads of North America (Canada, Mexico and the United States). Amtrak and some regional Commuter rail in North Am ...

Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...

and the other railroads that serve the area. The letter also states that repairs to the Bayou Boeuf bridge are now complete and BNSF's mainline was reopened as originally planned at 6:00 PM

Central Time Central Time may refer to: * Central Time Zone, a time zone in North America * Central European Time, a time zone in Europe *Australian Central Time, a time zone in Australia (see Time in Australia Australia uses three main time zones: Austra ...

on September 1. * September 4 – The Girard Avenue Trolley in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

recommences service after thirteen years of bus substitution. * September 6 –

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

n transport officials at a meeting in

Bandar Lampung Bandar Lampung (Lampung language, Lampung: , ''Kutak Bandarlampung'', formerly Dutch language, Dutch: ''Oosthaven'', lit. "Eastern Harbor") is the capital city, capital and largest city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of Lampun ...

announce plans to build a trans-

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

n railway to connect

Banda Aceh Banda Aceh ( Acehnese: ''Banda Acèh'', Jawoë: كوتا بند اچيه) is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of . The city covers an area of and had ...

Bakauheni Bakauheni is a town in the southern part of the province of Lampung, Indonesia and is the largest and busiest port in the province, and also one of the busiest ports in Indonesia. Ferries carrying passengers and vehicles, particularly large truc ...

, a distance of . A

Feasibility Study A feasibility study is an assessment of the practicality of a project or system. A feasibility study aims to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of an existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats pr ...

performed after the

2004 tsunami An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time ( UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Su ...

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (; abbreviated as SNCF ; French for "National society of French railroads") is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffic ...

, the national rail carrier of France, showed that such a line could be built. Construction is expected to commence in seven stages; the first stage would connect Banda Aceh to Besitang (484 km / 301 miles)
(Indonesia Relief)
* September 13 – The

Nigerian Railway Corporation Nigerian Railway Corporation (commonly abbreviated as NRC) is the state-owned enterprise with exclusive rights to operate railways in Nigeria. History and legislative background The Nigerian Railway Corporation traces its history to the year ...

(NRC), the national rail carrier of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, announces that it has laid off 5,980 of its nearly 12,000 employees, answering a call from the Nigerian government to downsize. The government first asked NRC for a 50% reduction in the last quarter of 2003; NRC waited until there was sufficient funds from the government for

severance package A severance package is pay and benefits that employees may be entitled to receive when they leave employment at a company unwillfully. In addition to their remaining regular pay, it may include some of the following: * Any additional payment base ...

s for the affected employees. In all, the government released nearly N2.1 billion (US$16 million) to NRC for severance pay. Some of NRC's layoff criteria included fraud, excessive

absenteeism Absenteeism is a habitual pattern of absence from a duty or obligation without good reason. Generally, absenteeism is unplanned absences. Absenteeism has been viewed as an indicator of poor individual performance, as well as a breach of an impli ...

, employees who had worked for more than 33 years, or who were aged 50–60, and employees with a history of disciplinary actions
(AllAfrica)
* September 20 – Japanese officials announce the government's intentions to pay former

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

involved in the construction of the

Death Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...

between

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

and

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

. Compensation amounts have not been announced; some estimates place the number of construction survivors at 1,800, most now aged in their 80s and 90s. The compensation for laborers who have died either during construction or afterward would be sent to their next of kin.New Straits Times (September 20, 2005),
Hope for survivors of ‘Death Railway'
'. Retrieved September 20, 2005. * September 29 – Sixty years after

Nederlandse Spoorwegen Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS; ; en, "Dutch Railways") is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands. It is a Dutch state-owned company founded in 1938. The Dutch rail network is one of the busiest in the European Union, and t ...

issues a statement formally apologizing for transporting Jewish people to

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

concentration camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

s in Germany and Poland during the war. , the railway's chief executive stated "On behalf of the company and from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely apologise for what happened during the war." The railway made the decision to issue the formal apology after the largest Dutch Jewish organization, Centraal Joods Overleg, proposed an awareness campaign to take place at the railway's stations nationwide. Reaction among the survivors is mixed.Mudeva, Anna; Reuters (September 29, 2005),
Dutch railway firm apologises for deporting Jews
'. Retrieved September 29, 2005.

October events

* October 6 –

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

announces that the ''

City of New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...

s will again serve New Orleans Union Station beginning on Sunday October 9. Before

made landfall, Amtrak suspended ''City of New Orleans'' service south of

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...

, and suspended ''Crescent'' service south of

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital city, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georgia, Fulton County, the mos ...

, in anticipation of damage to the tracks and signal systems surrounding New Orleans. The first departure from New Orleans will be the northbound ''Crescent'' at 7:20 AM, followed by the northbound ''City of New Orleans'' at 1:45 PM; the first corresponding southbound trains are scheduled to arrive in New Orleans later that afternoon. Amtrak's announcement did not mention service restoration on the transcontinental ''

Sunset Limited The ''Sunset Limited'' is an Amtrak passenger train that for most of its history has operated between New Orleans and Los Angeles, over the nation's second transcontinental route. However, up until Hurricane Katrina in 2005, it operated betw ...

''.Amtrak (October 6, 2005),
Amtrak Trains to Roll Out of New Orleans on October 9
'. Retrieved October 6, 2005. * October 14 – The concession for operation of the Kenya-Uganda Railways is awarded to

Rift Valley Railways Consortium Rift Valley Railways (RVR) was a consortium established to manage the parastatal railways of Kenya and Uganda. The consortium won the bid for private management of the century-old Uganda Railway in 2005. The Kenya-Uganda railway had previously b ...

(RVRC), headquartered in South Africa. In announcing the bid, officials state that Rift Valley was selected over RITES Ltd. of India, the only other bidder, by a factor of two to one. The new operator is expected to begin management of the combined railway on March 30, 2006. RVRC will not be expected to take up the railways KSh.20.9 billion/= (US$282 million) debt, but will repay the

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

n government KSh.3 billion/= ($40.5 million) that was spent to subsidize the railway for the last three years.Capital FM (October 14, 2005),
SA firm wins railway deal
'. Retrieved October 16, 2005. * October 15 – Chinese officials announce the completion of the Qingzang railway connecting

Xining Xining (; ), alternatively known as Sining, is the capital of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. The city was a commercial hub along the Northern Silk Road's Hexi Corridor for over 2000 years, and w ...

Qinghai Province Qinghai (; alternately romanized as Tsinghai, Ch'inghai), also known as Kokonor, is a landlocked province in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. It is the fourth largest province of China by area and has the third smallest pop ...

, to

, Tibet Autonomous Region. The line's construction, which has been criticized by some who say the new railway will dilute Tibetan culture, had to overcome technical challenges that included building a railway on top of

permafrost Permafrost is ground that continuously remains below 0 °C (32 °F) for two or more years, located on land or under the ocean. Most common in the Northern Hemisphere, around 15% of the Northern Hemisphere or 11% of the global surface ...

and boring tunnels through solid ice while construction workers breathed bottled

.The Telegraph (October 15, 2005),
World's highest railway
'. Retrieved October 16, 2005. * October 17 – British railway ministers announce that Scottish Ministers will soon take control of railway administration within Scotland. The powers will include decisions over operations and infrastructure (such as tracks and

stations Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

) as well as oversight of the First ScotRail franchise. The British government will also supply a multi-million pound grant to fund the Scottish rail operations, money that is needed in order to move the Edinburgh station improvement project forward, for example. British ministers will retain train driver licensing as well as other safety obligations.Scotsman.com (October 17, 2005),
Scotland assumes new railway powers
'. Retrieved October 18, 2005. * October 24 – World's first biogas train makes maiden voyage. * October 31 –

Rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be ...

workers in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, go on strike.

SEPTA The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...

, the fifth largest transit agency in the United States, is forced to temporarily close several lines due to a lack of trained employees. Union negotiators walked out of contract negotiations minutes before the midnight deadline when they failed to come to a conclusion; disputes were centered around employee pay and benefits agreements. All operators on the City, Victory, and Frontier Divisions walked off the job. SEPTA services on the regional rail division continue according to contingency plans, and all bus, trolley, and subway lines are suspended until the conclusion of the work stoppage.Podsana, Janice; Associated Press (reprinted in The Guardian, October 31, 2005),
Philadelphia Transit Workers Go on Strike
'. Retrieved October 31, 2005.

November events

* November 1 – Government officials in China announce plans to privatise the nation's rail network into separate corporations that could be listed on international

stock market A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include ''securities'' listed on a public stock exchange, ...

s. The strategy is to raise money for improvements and expansions to the network, which would increase the amount of track by about . The plan could lead to partial or complete foreign ownership of some railway lines, but some investors have already raised concerns over the network's regulatory system, especially in regard to the newly independent railways' abilities to raise prices to cover costs
(BBC News)
* November 4 – The United States

(FRA) announces a requirement for increased and more detailed inspections of around of

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

that use continuous welded rail. The inspections are to detect and repair potential problems that involve loose or missing bolts, detectable problems in the rail and other potential hazards. In making the announcement, the FRA and

National Transportation Safety Board The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and inci ...

cite inadequate track inspections as the cause of three major

derailment In rail transport, a derailment occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially ...

s since 2002, including a

(CP) derailment in January 2002 near

Minot, North Dakota Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 2 ...

, that released a cloud of

anhydrous ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous wast ...

, and an

derailment in 2004 near Flora, Mississippi, in which a passenger died. CP disputes inadequate inspections as the cause of the 2002 accident
(AP/Newsday)(FRA)
* November 23 – Railroad workers across France return to work from a strike action. The labour unions involved in the strike report that they are pleased with concessions agreed to during negotiations on Tuesday and French

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a Politics of France, French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to ...

offered his personal guarantee that

would not be privatised. The strike, the sixth by French rail workers in 2005, suspended one third of all

trains across the country
(IHT)

December events

* December 2 – Schnabel car CEBX 800, the largest such car on North American rails, departs

Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior, Wisconsin, Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: Downtown Dul ...

, in a special

train bound for Long Lake in northern

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...

. The car is carrying what has been called the largest single-car freight load ever carried in North America, an enormous "hydro cracker" reactor built in pieces in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...

and Japan. The 1.5 million pound load was offloaded from the ship ''Stellaprima'' in Duluth on November 23.Duluth Seaway Port Authority (November 23, 2005),
Record setting cargo loading update
''. Retrieved December 6, 2005. Duluth Shipping News,

''. Retrieved December 6, 2005. * December 6 ** – General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dha ...

, announces that

studies Study or studies may refer to: General * Education ** Higher education * Clinical trial * Experiment * Observational study * Research * Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning Other * Study (art), a drawing or series of d ...

will begin on connecting all of the emirates in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...

by rail for both passenger and

intermodal freight transport Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation (e.g., rail, ship, aircraft, and truck), without any handling of the freight itself when changing ...

. The proposed route would connect Abu Dhabi,

Sharjah Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Sharjah is the capital ...

, Ras Al Khaimah and

Fujairah Fujairah City ( ar, الفجيرة) is the capital of the emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is the seventh-largest city in UAE, located on the Gulf of Oman (part of the Indian Ocean). It is the only Emirati capital city on the ...

with Ruwais and Ghowaifat. Officials hope to create a public-private partnership in order to build and operate the proposed railway. The project is part of a wider plan and a requirement of the

Gulf Cooperation Council The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, inter ...

's plan to connect all Arab states by rail.WAM (December 6, 2005),
Study on Emirates Railway project given a go-ahead
'. Retrieved December 7, 2005.TradeArabia (December 7, 2005),

'. Retrieved December 7, 2005. ** – Opening of London's

Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light metro system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of London, England and provides a direct connection between London's two major financial districts, Canary Wharf and the City of Lo ...

extension to

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...

, via

London City Airport London City Airport is a regional airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the Borough of Newham, approximately east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the twin centres of London's financial ...

, England. * December 7 – QJ 7081 pulls the world's last regularly scheduled passenger train behind a

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...

on a mainline railroad when it pulls a train between Daban and Chabuga, China. * December 11 – In Switzerland, all trains become officially non-smoking * December 12 – The Larkhall branch of the

Argyle Line The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. The line serves the commercial and shopping districts of Glasgow's central area, and connects towns from West Dunbartonshire to South Lanarkshire. Named for Glasgow's Argyl ...

is re-opened. Opening

Chatelherault railway station Chatelherault railway station serves the villages of Ferniegair and Allanton on the outskirts of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is named Chatelherault after the nearby Chatelherault Country Park. History The station was opened as ...

and re-opening

Merryton railway station Merryton railway station is a railway station in Larkhall, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line. The station was officially opened on 9 December 2005, as part of the Larkhall branch re-opened at the same tim ...

and

Larkhall railway station , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = End of the line^ - geograph.org.uk - 103918.jpg , borough = Larkhall, South Lanarkshire , country = Scotland , coordinates = , grid_name = Grid reference , grid_position = , manager = ...

. * December 20 –

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October ...

workers walk off their jobs in a strike called by the Transport Workers Union at 3:00 AM local time. It is a move that may be in violation of a previous court ruling that makes subway worker strikes illegal, and MTA lawyers have asked the courts to review the strike action as one that may be in

contempt of court Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the cour ...

with that ruling. Fines for such a ruling of contempt could include two days pay for each striking employee per day that the strike continues. The union claims that MTA should be able to afford the health care benefit and pension levels sought by the union due to a budget surplus of nearly US$1 billion. While the strike is in progress, the city of New York has implemented emergency statutes that include restricting private vehicles carrying less than four occupants from entering the city between 5:00 AM and 11:00 AM local time.CBS News (December 20, 2005),
NYC Transit Workers On Strike
'. Retrieved December 20, 2005. * December 26 – The first section of

Guangzhou Metro The Guangzhou Metro () ( and ) is the rapid transit system of the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province of China. It is operated by the state-owned Guangzhou Metro Corporation and was the fourth metro system to be built in mainland China, af ...

Line 4 opens connecting Wanshengwei to Xinzao.

Accidents and attacks

* January 6 – Graniteville train disaster – A

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31, ...

train carrying a few carloads of hazardous materials (including

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine i ...

gas) collides with a parked train in

Graniteville, South Carolina Graniteville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,614 at the 2010 census. It lies along U.S. Route 1, west of Aiken in Horse Creek Valley, which originates in the nearby town o ...

, causing the deaths of 9 people and the injury of over 250 more. * January 17 – Two

MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...

trains collide, injuring nearly 200 people.BBC News (January 17, 2005),
Thai subway shut for safety probe
'. Retrieved January 19, 2005.
''

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' Retrieved January 19, 2005. * January 26 – Glendale train crash: In what police call a suicide attempt, a Metrolink (Southern California), Metrolink train in Glendale, California (a suburb of Los Angeles), hits a car parked on a grade crossing and then derails into another Metrolink train and a parked Union Pacific Railroad locomotive resulting in 11 fatalities and 200 injuries.Nguyen, Daisy; Associated Press (January 26, 2005)
9 killed as suburban L.A. trains derail
. Retrieved January 26, 2005.CBS/AP (January 26, 2005)
Parked car caused train wreck
Retrieved January 26, 2005.Molloy, Tim; Associated Press (January 26, 2005)

. Retrieved January 26, 2005. * February 3 – Nagpur level crossing disaster kills 55 people. * April 25 – Amagasaki rail crash – A JR West commuter train derails and strikes an apartment building in Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan, killing 106 and injuring more than 460 others.n:Japanese commuter train derails, apartment building smashed, Japanese commuter train derails, apartment building smashed. * June 12 – At 7:10 AM local time, a bomb explodes between Uzunovo and Bogatishchevo, Russia (about 95 miles / 153 km from Moscow), derailing the locomotive and first four

s of the Grozny-Moscow train. Investigators found wires leading from the explosion site to a control panel and hideout about 164 ft (50 m) from the site.RIA Novosti (June 13, 2005),
Railroad traffic restored
''. Retrieved June 13, 2005. Details bomb on Russian railroad, June 12. * June 21 – A southbound

collides with a coal delivery truck near Revadim, about 25 miles south of Tel Aviv; the train was bound for Beersheba when the accident occurred. At least seven people die in the accident and more than 200 are injured.CBS, (June 21, 2005),
Deadly Train-Truck Crash In Israel
'. Retrieved August 13, 2005. * July 7 – July 7, 2005 London bombings, Three bombs explode in the London Underground killing at least 35 people. Explosions occur between the Aldgate East tube station, Aldgate East and Liverpool Street station, Liverpool Street stations, between King's Cross St Pancras tube station, King's Cross St Pancras and Russell Square tube station, Russell Square, and at Edgware Road tube station (Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines), Edgware Road. A further bomb on a bus in Tavistock Square kills 13 people. A statement claiming responsibility is posted to a website known to be operated by associates of Al Qaeda. * July 13 – 2005 Ghotki rail crash, Ghotki rail crash: A

stopped at the railway station at Sarhad, Sindh, near Ghotki in Pakistan, is hit from behind by a train that has missed a signal. The derailed cars are subsequently hit by a third train, resulting in a total of seventeen wrecked train cars, which were carrying over 3,000 passengers. Between 109 and 133 people are killed and many injured. Pakistani railroad officials have called this the worst railroad accident there in 15 years.Bloomberg.com: Asia (July 13, 2005),
Pakistan Triple-Train Crash Leaves 109 People Dead
'. Retrieved July 13, 2005.Xinhua (July 13, 2005),

'. Retrieved July 13, 2005. * October 29 – Veligonda rail disaster near the town of Veligonda, south of Hyderabad, India, Hyderabad in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. A flash flood sweeps away a small rail bridge and a "Delta Express" train travelling on it derails at the broken section of the line, killing at least 114 people and injuring over 200. * November 29 – In the Kindu rail accident at least 60 people are killed when they are swept off the roof of a train into the river below as the train crosses a bridge in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Deaths

January deaths

* January 23 – John H. Kuehl, editor of ''Private Varnish'' magazine,

historian and photographer (b. 1938).

February deaths

* February 12 – Vernon L. Smith (railroader), Vernon L. Smith, mechanical engineer for Lima Locomotive Works in the 1930s, superintendent of motive power for the Belt Railway of Chicago in the 1970s, and noted railroad author (b. 1912).Trains NewsWire (March 9, 2005),
Vernon L. Smith, retired railroader and author, dies
'. Retrieved March 10, 2005.

March deaths

* March 28 – Paul H. Stringham, central Illinois railroad photographer and historian (b. 1913).Trains NewsWire (March 31, 2005),
Paul Stringham dies: Illinois rail photographer, historian, and author
'. Retrieved April 7, 2005.

April deaths

* April 22 – Margaret Landry Moore, "Miss Southern Belle" spokesmodel for Kansas City Southern Railway, Kansas City Southern's ''Southern Belle (KCS), Southern Belle'' passenger trains (b. 1923).Trains NewsWire (April 27, 2005),
‘Miss Southern Belle' dies
''. Retrieved May 4, 2005. * April 28 – Frank Turpin, CEO of Alaska Railroad, 1985–1993 (b. 1923).Loy, Wesley, Anchorage Daily News (April 30, 2005),
Frank Turpin, railroad, oil leader, dies
.'' Retrieved May 4, 2005.

May deaths

* May 28 – Benjamin F. Biaggini, chairman and CEO of the Southern Pacific Company (parent company of Southern Pacific Railroad) 1964–1983 (b. 1916).Trains NewsWire (June 2, 2005),
Benjamin Biaggini, SP president from 1964 to 1983, dies
'. Retrieved June 3, 2005.

August deaths

* August 12 – E. Spencer Miller, president of Maine Central Railroad 1952–1978.Associated Press (reprinted by boston.com, September 1, 2005),
Longtime president of Maine Central Railroad dies
'. Retrieved September 2, 2005.

November deaths

* November 22 – Orville R. Harrold, president of Providence and Worcester Railroad 1980–2005 (b. 1932)
(Railway Age)
* November 24 – Robert J. Kmieciak, chairman of the United Transportation Union Board of Appeals (b. 1923).Trains NewsWire (November 30, 2005),
Retired former chairman of UTU Board of Appeals dies
'. Retrieved December 2, 2005.

Industry awards

Japan

; Awards presented by Japan Railfan Club * 2005 Blue Ribbon Award (railway), Blue Ribbon Award: JR Freight M250 series ''Super Rail Cargo'' EMU * 2005 Laurel Prizes: ** JR Kyushu　800 Series Shinkansen ** Nagasaki Electric Tramway 3000 series tramcar

North America

;2005 E. H. Harriman Awards: ;Awards presented by Railway Age magazine: * 2005 Railroader of the Year: David R. Goode (

) * 2005 Regional Railroad of the Year: Red River Valley & Western Railroad * 2005 Short Line Railroad of the Year: Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway

United Kingdom

;Train Operator of the Year: * 2005: London Underground

References

{{reflist 2005 in rail transport,